Progressive Media

Judge Pauses Paramount-Warner Deal for Two Weeks

pgnewser July 23, 2026 0

U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín of the Northern District of California has put a two-week hold on the DOJ-approved Paramount-Warner merger. The deal is being held up by a California lawsuit seeking to prevent it from happening. The judge was nominated by former President Joe Biden.

Calif. Federal Judge Pauses Paramount-WBD Merger – tctechnology.com
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A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order pausing the $110 billion merger of Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery as she considers a ruling on a preliminary Injunction in an antitrust case filed by 12 attorneys general.

The July 20 ruling by U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín of the Northern District of California pauses the deal for 14 days while she considers a preliminary injunction, which would block the merger for the duration of the litigation and impose substantial costs on Paramount.

“My office and attorneys general nationwide have secured an emergency order blocking the unlawful merger of Warner Bros. and Paramount,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who is leading a coalition of states seeking to block the deal on antitrust grounds. “This is a critical first win in our case to ensure this megamerger never sees the light of day. …With our lawsuit, we’re fighting for a free and fair market and a thriving film and television industry that serves creatives and audiences alike.”

As previously reported, the case argues that the deal, the largest in Hollywood history, would combine two of Hollywood’s five major film distributors and two of the five major owners of basic cable channels, “inflicting substantial harm on movie theaters, basic cable distributors, and ultimately, audiences nationwide.”

The deal has been approved by the Justice Department and Paramount had been hoping to close it as early as July 22.

Scarborough Urges Democrats to Welcome Socialist Wing Ahead of Midterms– www.newsbusters.org

pgnewser July 22, 2026 0

Scarborough Urges Democrats to Welcome Socialist Wing Ahead of Midterms– www.newsbusters.org
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The Democratic Party has found itself in the midst of an internal rift just as the midterms are looming. Between revolutionary democratic socialists and establishment liberals, even the media has struggled to pick sides in the battle for the heart of the party. MS NOW’s Joe Scarborough, however, seems to have settled on a choice. On Monday’s Morning Joe, he urged the establishment to let the socialists waltz right on in.

Beginning the segment, Scarborough couldn’t seem to understand why party officials might not want to let socialists and communists into their party. Why can’t we all just get along?

I don’t understand it: this is a time Democrats should be coming together, and yet, every opinion piece I see, every social media post, it’s like about a division in the Democratic party that doesn’t even have to be.

Scarborough’s response to the party divide? Just welcome the socialists with open arms! And pretend they are the ones who will convert to the establishment.

I will say, as a former Republican, now an independent, who is for pro-democracy forces, my attitude has always been, we’re Baptists. We will play 16 hymns of ‘Just as I Am’, if that’s what it takes to bring new converts down. We will wait. And when those new converts come in, we hug them. 

Pentagon concealing true casualty numbers in Iran war – NYT — RT World News– www.rt.com

pgnewser July 22, 2026 0

Pentagon concealing true casualty numbers in Iran war – NYT — RT World News– www.rt.com
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Dozens of soldiers were injured in previously unreported strikes last week, the New York Times says

The Pentagon has withheld information about dozens of service members injured during the war with Iran, The New York Times reported on Monday, citing US officials.

On Friday, Iran struck a US military site in Jordan, killing two soldiers, wounding four, and leaving one missing. According to the Times, however, dozens of service members were injured throughout the week in three other strikes against US forces in the country. Several helicopters were also reportedly damaged in the attacks.

An official told CNN that “it can take several days or even weeks” for an injury to be logged into the Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS), an official database. A total of 427 service members have been injured in the war with Iran, the Times said, citing official figures.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell argued that “providing real-time information on non-fatal casualties to the media is the same as providing that information directly to our adversaries.”

Many Christian voters in the US see Trump as ‘chosen’ by God to lead | Donald Trump News– www.aljazeera.com

pgnewser July 22, 2026 0

Many Christian voters in the US see Trump as ‘chosen’ by God to lead | Donald Trump News– www.aljazeera.com
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NewsFeed

Many white evangelical Christians view Donald Trump as chosen by God to lead despite not seeing him as personally devout. A recent study suggests 60 percent of them believe Trump has pushed the US closer to Christian principles, blurring the line between church and state.

For the full segment, watch Al Jazeera’s ‘This is America’.

Gaining full control of Strait of Hormuz has proven exceptionally hard for U.S. Here’s why.– www.cbsnews.com

pgnewser July 14, 2026 0

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Washington — President Trump has been trying to force Iran to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz for months, turning to everything from airstrikes and naval blockades to negotiations and threats to destroy a “whole civilization.”

But restoring oil tanker traffic in the vital Middle East shipping corridor to prewar flows likely will require a much bigger armada of U.S. warships if not tens of thousands of American troops on Iranian soil, experts say. Despite on-and-off fighting, Iran can still target vessels in the slim Persian Gulf waterway with drones and missiles that have been hidden in a country a third the size of the continental United States.

“Iran has been preparing for this type of asymmetric conflict for decades now,” said Jason H. Campbell, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute and a former Pentagon official. “I think they’re starting to demonstrate why no other U.S. president since Reagan has elected to engage at this level of conflict with Iran, because they have that ability to completely disrupt the Strait of Hormuz.”

ABC, NBC SILENT On Dem Suit to Block Paramount-WBD Deal– www.newsbusters.org

pgnewser July 14, 2026 0

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The Elitist Media appear to circle the wagons as the Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger approaches, terrified that CNN might face editorial standards approaching fairness. Perhaps this explains why news of the California-led Democrat lawsuit to block the deal was left off of the evening news on ABC and NBC.

The CBS Evening News did cover the lawsuit. Here is that brief in its entirety, as aired on Monday, July 13th, 2026:

TONY DOKOUPIL: Some news tonight concerning Paramount Skydance, the parent company of CBS News. 12 states filed an antitrust suit today aiming to block the roughly $110 billion merger between Paramount Skydance and Warner Brothers Discovery. The state attorneys general, all Democrats, said the deal would create a monopoly and undermine competition, violating a century-old law. Paramount Skydance argues the opposite, that the merger would increase jobs and increase consumer choice. Government regulators in several other countries have signed off and so has the U.S. Department of Justice.

There is more to the story than Dokoupil could cram into that brief towards the end of their A-block. Per NPR:

A dozen states, led by California, are suing to block Paramount from buying Warner Bros. Discovery in a Hollywood mega-merger that would unite some of the nation’s largest movie studios, television newsrooms, and other entertainment properties.

“The unlawful merger of these two entertainment behemoths would lead to higher prices, lower quality, and less content for film and television, harming movie theaters, basic cable distributors, and ultimately, audiences on every sofa and movie theater seat in the U.S.,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement announcing the suit, which was filed in federal court in California’s Northern District.

CNBC’s Woke ‘Worst States’ List Accidentally Makes Red America Look Great – PJ Media– pjmedia.com

pgnewser July 14, 2026 0

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Listicles are a dime a dozen. They’re a quick, easy content option that can also provide clickbait headlines, which is why you see them on websites all the time. I remember a time here at PJ Media years ago under different leadership when we wrote an insane amount of listicle content.

One popular form of the listicle is those lists of great or bad places to live. All you have to do is determine your criteria and rank states in a way that proves your point. A search for “best states” or “worst states” will give you plenty of options.

And then there’s CNBC. The network released its list of the “10 worst states to live in for 2026” on Saturday, and you’ll notice a pattern:

Sunny Hostin Wins Worst Media Quote of the Week for American Flag Comment– www.newsbusters.org

pgnewser July 14, 2026 0

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Filling in for Geoffrey Dickens this week, I’m here to reveal the winner of the Worst Media Quote of the Week. As a refresher, this interactive series is where you – our loyal NewsBusters readers and MRC supporters – have a say as to which elite liberal journalist or deranged celebrity had the hottest take – otherwise known as the worst media quote of the week.

Thank you to all who voted last week via NewsBusters and the MRC’s various social media sites (Facebook, Instagram, X, and Truth Social).

Without any further ado, the results have been tabulated and the winner for the Worst Media Quote of Week is…

South Carolina’s Process to Replace Lindsey Graham Is What Democracy Should Look Like– www.thenation.com

pgnewser July 14, 2026 0

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The Palmetto State will let primary voters nominate Graham’s successor. Maine, on the other hand, is letting a party convention pick Graham Platner’s replacement.

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, right, joined by US Senator Lindsey Graham, speaks to reporters on Tuesday, April 6, 2021, in Columbia, SC.

(Michelle Liu / AP)

The sudden death of South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, a onetime Republican “maverick” who abandoned most of his pretenses toward independent political thinking in the service of Donald Trump’s presidency, has upended the politics of the state and nation that he served for 32 years in state and federal office.

How Republicans paved the way for white nationalists to invade DC– www.dailykos.com

pgnewser July 14, 2026 0

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The white supremacist group Patriot Front brazenly marched in Washington, D.C., on Independence Day. Their faces covered in white ski masks and their eyes obscured by sunglasses, the identically dressed group of men celebrated our country’s 250th anniversary by waving the pro-slavery Confederate flag, chanting about wanting to “reclaim America,” and carrying signs and banners promoting their pro-white racist ideology.

MS NOW Ad Claims They ‘Deliver Journalism’ That ‘Strengthens Our Democracy’– www.newsbusters.org

pgnewser July 14, 2026 0

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On Monday, MS NOW celebrated their 30th anniversary with a new ad that played at the end of Morning Joe. The 15-second advertisement celebrated the network’s so-called “journalism” that supposedly “strengthens our democracy.”

Notably, amid changes to the network programming, the promotion heavily featured the nighttime duo of Lawrence O’Donnell and Rachel Maddow, two hosts who have showcased some unhinged moments in the age of Trump and whose programming was anything but impartial.

Broken up with short soundbites from O’Donnell and Maddow, the advertisement’s narrator read:

Celebrating 30 years… Delivering journalism that informs, empowers, and strengthens our democracy.

Paramount CEO David Ellison Backing Bill for Federal Film Tax Incentive– www.breitbart.com

pgnewser July 14, 2026 0

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David Ellison, CEO of Paramount Skydance, has reportedly been backing a bill for a federal film tax incentive that has bipartisan support.

Multiple sources confirmed to Variety that that Ellison has spent at “least six months in exploratory meetings for the proposed legislation.” Ellison also met with Republican leaders in Washington, D.C., on Monday to discuss the legislation.

A federal film tax incentive would provide significant financial relief to content producers fleeing the U.S. for rebates around the world. A federal program would also sweeten the deal in Hollywood’s home state of California, whose AG Rob Bonta is leading the charge on the searing antitrust lawsuit waged today against Ellison over Warner Bros.

Paramount Vows to ‘Vigorously’ Fight California’s Lawsuit to Block Warner Bros. Discovery Merger– www.breitbart.com

pgnewser July 14, 2026 0

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NEW YORK (AP) — Twelve states sued to block Paramount’s takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery on Monday, arguing that the $81 billion merger would “extinguish competition” in Hollywood and lead to fewer choices for consumers across the U.S.

“Audiences on every sofa and in every movie (theater) seat would feel the impact of this unlawful merger,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who is leading the case, said in a news conference from Los Angeles. He said the deal would result in higher prices, fewer movies and TV shows and lower quality of content overall.

These Ghouls Couldn’t Help But Gloat Over Lindsey Graham’s Death– townhall.com

pgnewser July 12, 2026 0

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In the immediate hours following the unexpected death of long-time Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, ghoulish posts immediately began being posted by the usual suspects.

‘Gestapo tactics’: ICE is killing innocent people—and trying to cover it up– www.dailykos.com

pgnewser July 12, 2026 0

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When Lorenzo Salgado Araujo arrived at a Houston hospital after being shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent Tuesday, he was admitted as a John Doe.

The federal agents may not have known his name when they set out to the predominantly Latino East End neighborhood to apprehend immigrants that day, but they were extremely aware of who Salgado was as they stripped him of any form of identification and his belongings after shooting him. That move kept his family from claiming his body, according to news reports.

“That is Soviet gestapo tactics when you want to hide a crime or victim,” Juan Proaño, chief executive of the League of United Latin American Citizens, said in a conversation with Daily Kos. The organization is supporting the Salgado family in their quest for answers.

DOJ Subpoenas New York Times Journalists Following Air Force One Security Report – Mother Jones– www.motherjones.com

pgnewser July 12, 2026 0

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President Donald Trump speaks with reporters in flight on Air Force One on July 8, 2026.Alex Brandon/AP

Get your news from a source that’s not owned and controlled by oligarchs. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily.

The New York Times said that at least four of its journalists received subpoenas on Friday from the Justice Department following their report on concerns over insufficient security on the new, Qatari-donated Air Force One.

Prosecutors prepare to bury Charlie Kirk’s suspected assassin with evidence– www.theblaze.com

pgnewser July 7, 2026 0

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Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk was fatally shot on Sept. 10 in front of a massive crowd at Utah Valley University.

Just days after the young father of two was pronounced dead, 23-year-old Tyler Robinson was ushered by his parents to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, where he turned himself in.

‘I think my battery died.’

Robinson, a Utah State University dropout whom Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) said had become “more political” in the lead-up to the assassination, was subsequently charged with aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, and obstruction of justice as well as with witness tampering for allegedly telling his boyfriend to delete his text messages and to stay quiet if questioned by police.

The suspected assassin has yet to enter a plea.

On Monday, day one of the five-day preliminary hearing in Robinson’s murder case, prosecutors began laying out the evidence that they believe is sufficient both to convince state District Judge Tony Graf to try the case and to ultimately warrant the death penalty.

The court heard from former Utah Valley police officer Chris Bagley, who described the “crime scene,” specifically the roof of the Losee Center building where he found a red-and-black screwdriver “that looked out of place” and an apparent “sniper pad.”

ABC News’ Sunny Hostin lashes out at the American flag, cries that seeing the American flag in America makes her feel unsafe– www.louderwithcrowder.com

pgnewser July 7, 2026 0

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When in doubt, leave it to the shrill harpies from “The View” to have the most unintentionally hilarious takes. Today it’s Sunny Hostin, a woman who pre-accused her neighbors of racism before they had the chance to be racist, saying how she spent America’s 250th birthday being made uncomfortable by so many American flags. Yes, in America.

Keep in mind, Sunny’s rant is what passes for news on ABC News. After all, “The View” is a bona fide news program. But don’t take my word for it.

Imagine being this miserable of a life form.

CNN Says Jon Ossoff’s 2028 Presidential Chances Are Better Than Josh Shapiro’s Because He Doesn’t ‘Read as Jewish’– www.westernjournal.com

pgnewser July 7, 2026 0

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On the official establishment cable mouthpiece of the American left, the talking heads aren’t even hiding the fact that the Democrats live and die by the anti-Semitic crowd in 2026 — and will in 2028, too.

In a discussion late Tuesday on CNN, several pundits weighed in on whom the Democratic Party will pick as its presidential nominee next time around, especially in light of Democratic socialists taking several key House primary races.

All of the DSA-backed candidates have one thing in common, aside from having not a whit of economic common sense: They don’t like Israel or its supporters, for reasons one can reasonably guess at. Sure, like most Jew-haters, they hide behind a veneer of “anti-Zionism,” but the base these candidates count on certainly seems to excuse violence by thugs who take their rage out on innocent Jews, while excoriating Jewish Democrats, even those who are mostly pro-Palestinian in outlook.

During the discussion, according to a transcript of “The Story Is with Elex Michaelson,” host Elex Michaelson said that “some of the of the fringes of the DSA, not everybody in the DSA, are certainly pretty close to anti-Semitism, if not anti-Semitism.” It’s a development he called “a little scary.”

The Red-Green-Woke Right Alliance Has Metastasized– legalinsurrection.com

pgnewser July 7, 2026 0

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There has been a surge of anti-Jewish violence and intimidation throughout the United States, from street assaults to harassment to blockades of events to assassinations at Jewish events.

The NY Post recently reported on a survey showing that 38% of American Jews hide their Jewish identity in public:

A majority of American Jews experienced antisemitism over the past year, with many changing their behavior out of fear, according to a survey released on Friday by the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) ahead of the United States’ 250th anniversary.

What You Need To Know About The Kirk Assassination Trial, Day 1– thefederalist.com

pgnewser July 7, 2026 0

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Preliminary hearings for the trial of Tyler Robinson, the man accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk, started Monday as Utah state prosecutors presented exhibits and sought their admission into the actual trial.

Utah prosecutors brought expert witnesses to the stand to testify about their involvement with the police work surrounding the assassination at Utah Valley University (UVU) on Sept. 10, 2025. They also presented multiple exhibits, including affidavits, video footage, and images. Nearly every exhibit was admitted into the trial over the objections of Robinson’s attorneys, but in one case the judge said alterations made to a compilation of videos made it inadmissible.

The Guardian Meets America at 250 and Finds Only Fault – PJ Media– pjmedia.com

pgnewser July 6, 2026 0

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… The Guardian found a way to arrive at America’s 250th birthday party and complain about the host, the music, the weather, the guest list, and the entire idea of celebrating.

Over this weekend of celebration, the paper’s America coverage read less like curiosity and more like a bill of indictment. President Donald Trump’s Mount Rushmore speech was framed as a “partisan attack.” America at 250 was described as “a solid global citizen gone rogue.” Another headline said Trump “hijacked” the anniversary for “political ideology and pet projects.”

The mood didn’t improve when the subject moved from speeches to people on the National Mall. One story led with “a total disappointment” as Americans dealt with brutal heat at the Great American State Fair.

Another July 4 opinion headline declared, “America is destroying itself. It’s no surprise.”

For a newspaper covering a 250th birthday, it certainly sounded eager to write the obituary before the fireworks went off.

The country is marking 250 years since the Declaration of Independence. The White House’s Freedom 250 page described a full year of events meant to honor American history, faith, innovation, and the next 250 years.

Jason Stanley Calls US Deportation of Haitians Era of American Fascism on PBS– www.newsbusters.org

pgnewser July 6, 2026 0

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Jason Stanley, left-wing professor and author of How Fascism Works, fled to Canada to escape President Trump, yet somehow feels compelled to appear on TV to bash his abandoned home. He made another appearance on PBS on Amanpour & Co just in time to mark America’s 250th anniversary, in order to declare his previous home is a Nazi state under Trump and Republican control.

Stanley is a frequent guest on the (formerly) tax-funded circuit of PBS and National Public Radio, and he brought his tired “fascist” gimmick to the program.

Host Christiane Amanpour: Now, controversy continues to swell around President Trump’s immigration agenda as he pushes through a series of sweeping changes from recent Supreme Court rulings terminating protected status for Haitians and Syrians to fast-tracking refugee status for white South Africans. Outrage has spread across the country….

Elitist Media SILENT as Minnesota Pardons a Violent Sexual Predator– www.newsbusters.org

pgnewser July 6, 2026 0

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The partisan nature of the Elitist Media’s news coverage even trickles down to how pardons are covered. Any pardon issued by President Donald Trump will immediately raise the media’s hackles and draw significant coverage. Controversial pardons by Democrats? Not so much.

Per The New York Post:

Minnesota officials, including Democrat Gov. Tim Walz, last month pardoned an illegal immigrant who was previously convicted of sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl and who was slated to be deported.

With the recommendation of the Minnesota Clemency Review Commission (CRC), the Minnesota Board of Pardons — led by Walz, state Attorney General Keith Ellison and state Chief Justice Natalie Hudson — granted a pardon for Laos national Tou Lue Vang, 42, at its June 10 meeting, according to a letter informing Vang of the decision from Carli Stark, the executive director of the state CRC.

The pardon essentially gives Vang a clean slate.

“Being granted a pardon is a notable achievement and a reflection of the work you have done since your conviction,” Stark wrote in her letter to Vang.